Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-04
THE PROPOSED LOAN.
WHAT ADVOCATES AND OPPONENTS OF THE
SCHEME HAVE TO SAY.


The project, mooted about the City HAL
Wednesday evening by a number OF Coun-
cilmen, to ask the people of the city to
ratify q new city loan oftwo hundred thou
sand dollars, TO be used exclusively for
street paving purposes, and particularly
for the purpose of paving Market and Main
streets their entire length with fire clay
paving blocks, was discussed at great
length yesterday by the city fathers and
Others of our citizens. There WIS some
opposition to the measure from citizens,
who argued that the proposition might
result in the postponement of Market and
Main street improvement until 1888, for
with the loan project up for discussion the
Board of Public Works aud Council would
naturally not feel like making any esti-
mate for these thoroughfares, payable out
of the ordinary appropriation of the Board
this spring. Then, if the people should
fail 10 ratify the loan, Market and Main
streets would be left. This argument was
met by those favoring the loans, with the
statement that even if the loan was not
asked for, and street paving was allowed
to take its natural course this spring,
Market and Main streets would receive
no benefit anyhow, save and except
the small amoun made neces-
say to finish up the work on North Main
street, begun last season. This, for the
reason that enough of last seasons work
remained ~incompleted this year to absorb
about all Of the available funds of the
Board after paying for and paving the Sew
enteenth street extension. Again, 1t was
urged that if it was possible to apply the
general fund Of the Board of Public Works
to the paving OF Market and Main streets,
it would take the revenues of at least three
years to do the work. The ten cent levy
fund would not be available for this
work, because Market and Main streets do
not come under the head of new
streets" There are twenty squares
on Market street, and fifteen on Main
to be paved, and at an average Of 81, 200
per square, including curbing and sewers,
we have Sl40, 900. Armed with these fig
ures, or others varying q little from them,
the loan advocates are urging that this Is a
chance for the city to secure several miles
of new streets, urging also that not only
can Market and Main streets be paved, but
that the ordinary revenue of the Board of
Public Works, and the 500, 900 ofthe loan
not used on the streets above named will
make up a further sum of 500, DOC, which
can be expended on other streets in vari-
Gus portions of the city, thus directly ben
citing all our people. 1t is expected the
matter will be brought up in Council
Tuesday evening.
Two Council Committees and two Of the
City Boards met at the City Hall last even
ing, to continue the work of making up
estimates of the necessary expenses of the
year. The Committee on Light and the
Gas Trustees met in the apartments of the
last named body and an organization was
effected by making Mr.. Butts Chairman.
President Seeley, of the Board of Trustees,
was absent from the city, and Mr.. Jepson
said that the Board was not prepared to
submit an estimate until the President
should be present. The meeting accord
ingly adjourned until a future day.
The Committee on Scales, after duly on
sidering the needs of their department,
made up an estimate calling for 81, 500
the same amount asked for last year. The
committee last year spent 81 ,051.07. This
year one new scale il needed, and q on
siderable amount OF repairing must be
done.
The Board of Fire Commissioners and
the Committee on Fire Department met,
with Chief Dunning. in the office Of Chief
of Police Smith. Mr.. Tracy presided. The
Commissioners submitted an esti-
mate a~ggregating S26, 9O6, Of
which amount $4,000 is for
Il ~much-needed hook and ladder truck and
these items are very badly needed. A full
complement of hose for the department is
:, 900 feet. The amount now on hand is
5000 feet, Of which 400 feet is worthless
and will have to he thrown away. The
900 fest of new hose will thus make up a
total of 4, 600 feet-still 1000 feet short of
what it really needs. Regarding a new
hook and ladder truck, the necessity for il
has long been apparent. The present truck
has been in use ~forty-One years. The city
purchased it second hand from the Bal
timOre department about 1868, and has
used il constantly ever since. 1t has GER
tainly passed the period of usefulness, is
a%ntiquated, and not at all adapted TO the
needs Of the department, and ought TO be
broken up. The department asked for n
new truck q year ago, but the item was
stricken out. This year it ought TO be
allowed 10 stand, by all means, il the
efficiency of our Fire Department is to be
maintained. Outside of the new truck
and hose, the sum asked for this year is
the same as last, namely, S23, 1900.
This evening two special Council Com
mittees will meet. One is the committee
appointed to consider the ACCESSIBILITY of
releasing new manufacturing enterprises
from taxation aud water rent for q term of
years, and the other is to deliberate upon
the proposition to reprint the city ordinan-
ces.